It is very rare nowadays for a game to launch without controversy. And just to be clear, I am not saying that’s a bad thing. Healthy debates around any topic only move the needle in favor of the consumer. Moreover, it is even rarer for a game to emerge from that controversy and become an all-time hit, which transcends into a massive cultural phenomenon. Therefore, you’ll be glad to know that Helldivers 2 is that particular game I am talking about, and it is worthy of all the praise it is receiving. In short, it is what Halo Infinite, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, and Skull And Bones should’ve been. With that said, here’s a Helldivers 2 review which explains precisely why this game is such a breath of fresh air.
Many people say that Helldivers 2 draws its inspiration from Starship Troopers, which it might. However, I think it is more akin to an unofficial Warhammer 40,000 game, where you’re fighting Tyranids and Necrons. These are essentially 40K’s versions of Terminids and Automatons, in a very crude and simpler interpretation.
The story in Helldivers 2 is as straightforward as it can be. You’re a resident of Super-Earth who must fight against Automatons and giant Space Bugs, called Terminids, for reasons that are not entirely clear, but I’m sure they’re good enough. Regardless, it provides a compelling excuse to embark on a galaxy-wide rampage, or rather, a democracy-spreading crusade.
At the beginning of the game, you’re given a brief crash course on the basic movement system. In addition to teaching you about the weapon system and the satellite call-in system, known as Stratagems, the intro sequence also brings you face-to-face with the two main enemies: bugs and automatons. Mastering the Stratagems is crucial if you wish to make any meaningful in-game progress.
In terms of gameplay, Helldivers 2 may remind you of the Horde mode in Gears 5. You get a third-person perspective, and although you can aim down sight to get a first-person view, it is primarily a third-person FPS experience. Your character can’t jump in the traditional sense but can dive onto the ground, which can be considered a jump if done from a bit of height.
Gunplay is fantastically fun, thanks in part to the awesome sound design. Unlike other FPS games, Helldivers 2 features realistic gun reloading. This means you will lose all the bullets in your previous magazine, if any remain, upon reloading. The gameplay includes traversing the galaxy to different planets and securing each area from either Terminids or Automatons.
Objectives range from killing a bug overlord to destroying eggs, and so on. A typical mission will have you “Hell-Diving” onto a planet, completing the objective, and then calling in for extraction while defending the landing plane from enemies. It was recently revealed that an employee at Arrowhead Studios is the game master in Helldivers 2, acting as the puppet master behind everything happening in the game.
Although such a job sounds cool, there were instances where Joel, the name of the Game Master, had to get up in the middle of the night to provide enemies with reinforcements, as players were taking over the entire planet way too quickly.
As mentioned earlier, the gameplay loop is straightforward. Select a planet, choose an area, drop in via a space pod nearby, complete the objective, and jet out of there. At a glance, this gameplay loop might sound monotonous, even though it isn’t. This perception changes dramatically with the game’s co-op element.
Helldivers 2’s online multiplayer co-op is one of its foundational pillars. Battling bugs and evil robots is fun, but it becomes an unforgettable experience with friends. The game’s “Starship Trooper-like” atmosphere becomes even more engaging when you’re playing with friends and unleashing all sorts of “gamer words.” In essence, the game offers the ultimate sensation of spreading humanity’s footprint across the stars, and the best part is doing it with your friends right after work on a Friday.
The urgency to jump into an online game with friends hasn’t been felt this strongly since GTA 5 Online, at least in India. The game also does its best to immerse you in a space military fantasy. For example, you cannot turn off friendly fire within the game. Furthermore, the developers have decided against including a PVP mode, opting to keep the game strictly PVE. Their reasoning is that PVP introduces unnecessary toxicity. However, I believe PVP might also detract from the immersion, as there’s no logical reason for two Space Earth soldiers to fight each other.
This doesn’t mean that your teammates or even random gamers won’t end up shooting you. They, of course, will. But this is most likely to occur when securing an objective or if you’re trying to retreat. Then, they might humorously act like Commissars from Warhammer 40K, declaring you a traitor or heretic in the name of democracy.
If you know anything about Warhammer 40K, then you’re aware of how its themes align with those of Helldivers 2. Helldivers 2 stands as a testament to what can be achieved when developers are passionate about their craft and attentive to their community. This game not only quenches the thirst for an action-packed, cooperative multiplayer experience but also subtly educates players on the virtues of strategy, teamwork, and the consequences of warfare, albeit in a fictional setting. The parallels drawn between its narrative and the lore-rich universe of Warhammer 40K further enrich the gaming experience, adding depth to its seemingly straightforward gameplay.
What sets Helldivers 2 apart is its ability to evolve from potential controversy into a beloved cultural phenomenon. It has achieved what few games manage to accomplish: creating a space where players can enjoy the thrill of the game, engage in meaningful social interactions, and immerse themselves in a larger narrative that reflects some of the most cherished aspects of genre fiction.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
Platform Tested on: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
Price: ₹2,499
